Afterlife
by Amatiere
Summary: What happens when you die? Olivia is in hospital after attempting suicide. Her time in hospital has her dreaming about a mysterious blonde haired prince, Legolas. In her dreams she is a Princess and they would live in love forever. However, in her Afterlife, things are very different. Can she gain his affection that she once had?
1. Chapter 1 - Fantasy

**Chapter 1**

Fantasy

_I awake in a forest, the floor scattered with leaves of a familiar tree. A forest once beautiful, lush and green, now dark and shadowed with evil. Though through the dark there seemed to be a light, pure and white like the stars. It was warm and welcomed me, but I did not try to stand, I felt as if I should let someone help me up. _

_Out of the light a silhouette appeared, that of a man. No, not a man- male, yes, but not a man. I was sure of this though I could not understand why. He carried a bow in his right hand, and his hair appeared long and lightly coloured. As he spoke his voice seemed familiar to me, but I couldn't place it._

"_Are you hurt?" He asked in a soft voice, and as he crouched down the light fell on his face. Long, blonde hair with a small elegant plait on either side, just behind his ears. His ears that had an unusual point to them. Elf, the thought came into my mind. His eyes were blue like a cloudless sky on the perfect sunny day._

_He still looked at me, concern written onto his perfectly symmetrical face. I felt no pain but lifted my hand to examine it- I felt I had to. My hand was pale and thin, my nails perfectly and naturally manicured. _

"_I seem fine," I finally replied and looked at him again, "Though I'm quite confused as to how I got here." _

_I blinked a few times before he stood up and stepped back slightly, offering me his hand. Hesitantly I took it and he pulled me to my feet with ease, my feet which I felt unusually weightless on. _

"_You fell off you horse, Princess." He explained simply and the concerned look that had faded briefly found its way back onto his face._

_Something about this entire moment felt so familiar, yet alien to me. Legolas, a thought found its way into my mind. His name, and with the thought of his name came a feeling of warmth and love. Princess, I realised he had called me. I needed only his first name to completely it entirely. Legolas Greenleaf, Prince of Mirkwood._

_I was looking upon a Prince- no, not a Prince. My Prince. My thoughts were beginning to come together, though still pieces were missing. _

"_Yes, of course. I may have hit my head." I said and placed my hand on my forehead, though it did not hurt. Somewhat instinctively I ran my hand through my hair. My beautiful brown hair that had not a flaw to it. _

_This was strange, yet I smiled. I seemed perfect, and so did he. _

"_We should go back now. Will you be able to ride your own horse?" Legolas asked as he put his bow on his back- he carried a quiver with at least a dozen arrows and two finely crafted daggers. I glanced over his shoulder to see two horses grazing tamely, adorned with beautifully and skilfully made tack. _

_One was slightly bigger than the other; flawlessly white with a light brown saddle that had elegant golden markings, a bridle that served as armour for the horse, glittered slightly gold in the light. The other horse was smaller, but still tall. Chestnut adorned with a white and silver saddle and silver bridle without armour. Its face was almost completely white._

_My thoughts conflicted- I felt capable of riding a horse yet the thought also scared me. _

"_I…No." I answered and with that my mind was bombarded with memory. Falling off a horse at the age of 13 and fracturing my spine. Almost being trampled on by a tall horse, rearing aggressively. _

_The memories were not of this world however. My heartbeat quickened and my legs gave in and I fell to the ground, my head hit the forest floor with a loud thud. The layer of dead leaves did nothing to help the impact. The world became alien and my vision faded into blackness, though my eyes were not closed._

The first sound I heard was a rhythmic beep that drowned out all other sounds. Opening my eyes was a difficult task; it felt like the life had been drained out of me. I let out a weak groan, and finally my eyes opened to the sight of a plain, white wall. I was in a hospital bed, a needle stuck into my left hand, attached to a drip. The room smelt of disinfectant- an overwhelming and slightly sickening smell. The wall to my right had a large window which was closed.

The beeping which I heard was that of the heart monitor which was beside the drip. It was unusually difficult to move and I felt drowsy. The drowsiness clouded my senses and I battled to hear, my vision was still adjusting to the bright ceiling light above my bed.

I looked down at my body, my right arm wrapped tightly in a bandage. A sinking and sickening feeling came to mind as I remembered how I got here. A very, _very _dark day for me, and my breath shook as I let out a dreadful sigh. I had attempted suicide, and obviously failed.

Yet my parents weren't by my hospital bed, praying that I wake up, without brain damage. Of course they weren't, they were part of the reason I was in this situation. School was the other half. Home was Hell, school was Hell- my life was Hell. I had tried to escape, without success.

My dream came back to me and I wished I could close my eyes and fall back into that world- though I didn't know what world it was. Obviously it wasn't from this time; it had Princes and Princesses and Elves. That was my favourite world which I longed to live in. There was less judgement and need to be as perfect as you do in this world.

I sighed and looked out the window of my room; the clouds blocked the sun and seemed to give the world an ominous feeling, like some terrible thing was going to happened. My hearing was clearing now and I could hear the hustle and bustle from beyond my door: nurses, doctors and visitors going about their business. No one cared to check in on me though. Of course.

I questioned if this was all a nightmare and I would awake once again on the forest floor, or back at Mirkwood, with my Prince waiting anxiously for me to open my eyes. For a moment I felt it possible but shook the absurd thought from my head. No. This was my life and Legolas was nothing but a dream.

Still though I wanted to escape this crumbling reality, so I closed my eyes gently and relaxed my muscles, trying to ignore the heart monitor which beeped incessantly by my bedside. Thankfully, the needle in my hand felt imaginable and I felt weak from the medication which they pumped into my veins. Sleep found me rather easily and I drifted off into my imaginary world again.


	2. Chapter 2 - Imaginary

**Chapter 2**

Imaginary

_My footsteps were nearly noiseless on the forest floor, despite the rather dense layer of dead leaves that lay upon it. I laughed to myself, running quickly along the old, stone path; my white dress flowed behind me elegantly like a white flame flickering in a soft breeze. _

_I knew he was behind me, my Elven senses could feel someone chasing me, but he wouldn't get his bow back as easily as he would like. The path twisted and turned as my agile body allowed me to follow it without slowing my pace. I could run for hours, but I knew he could too. It felt like a mere few minutes before the path led me to the Elven gate and into a beautiful green field to which I slowed and stopped. _

_The Earth seemed peaceful and still for a moment as the gentle wind made my hair flow to the side. There seemed to be no wild life near the edges of the forest, a smart choice on their behalf as they may be victim to the spiders. I stood still and closed my eyes, letting my Elven senses take in the smell and sounds of this beautiful place._

_The air smelled of morning dew, which could be smelt in the gardens of the Palace, but not quite as strong. I was not normally up this early in the morning, the sun had just risen when I had mischievously snatched Legolas' bow off his horse. Although I was questioning running out into the dark woods on my own, but of course I knew Legolas would be only a short distance behind me._

_The sound of trees rustling in the wind gave me peace of mind. The wind blew past my ears and my beautiful Elven dress fluttered softly in the wind. It was white but had a blue tint and shone slightly in the sunlight. It flowed to my feet, which were bare, and the sunlight made it slightly transparent, but not enough to alarm anyone. This was meant to be an indoor dress, worn around the Palace, so it was not meant to be caught in sunlight too often._

_A high pitched screech escaped my lips when someone wrapped their arms unexpectedly around my waist, picked me up off the ground and spun me around once before setting me down again. But their arms did not leave their place around my waist._

"_Can I have my bow back now, Princess?" He whispered into my ear and without looking at him I could tell he was smiling._

"_What about me?" I said sweetly leaning my head back into his shoulder, "Why can't I have a bow?" I looked innocently into his blue eyes as his smile grew into a look of amusement._

"_You don't even know how to shoot a bow, my love." He said and his right hand reached for the bow in my left. _

_Reluctantly, I opened my hand and he took back his bow, kissing me on the cheek before letting go of my waist._

"_Then teach me!" I reasoned as I turned around to face him. His hair did not flow in the wind as much as mine did; only a few strands stood out and followed the breeze. _

_He was dressed for patrol with Tauriel and her guard: light armour that was bronze scale shoulder pads and his matching cuffs. At least three layers of protection on his upper body, black fitted thick leggings and riding boots that went up to his knees . To my luck this also meant he was carrying his quiver._

_His amused smile died down almost completely and he stepped forward and kissed me before reaching back and grabbing an arrow from his quiver. He loaded it into his bow, pulled back and released before I could gather what was happening. The arrow whizzed past my ear and hit a tree about 15 feet behind me. I looked up at him whilst he only looked past me to where his arrow had landed. A clear look of victory on his face._

_I turned around to see the arrow had skewered a leaf in its uttermost centre and lodged itself firmly in the hard bark of the reasonably small tree. He made it look so easy, so I thought it to be. In a flash I twirled back around and took the bow from his hand before reaching over his shoulder to get an arrow from his quiver. Mimicking his elegant movement I loaded the bow, though not quite at his speed, pulled back the string, which proved to be rather more difficult than he had made it seem before aiming it at the same tree and releasing it._

_Legolas let out a small laugh as the arrow landed a few feet in front and to the right of the tree. _

"_You did very well in positioning the arrow, but your aim needs practice." He said from behind me, "And my bow may be slightly big for you." I looked over my shoulder as he removed his quiver and set it against a small rock before retrieving another arrow._

"_Here," He said as he placed his arms over mine and his head next to mine. His hands gently covered my own and his fingers slid between mine as not to hurt me when he tightened his grip. He placed the arrow and slowly pulled back the string, taking slightly longer to aim before we both let go. The arrow landed perfectly next to his previous one._

"_If you would like, I could have a bow made for you." He said and let go of the bow, leaving me to hold it alone as we walked together to fetch the three arrows._

"_Only if you are the one who will teach me how to use it." I replied as I picked up the arrow I had shot myself._

"_It would be my pleasure." He pulled the two arrows from the tree before turning to me and bowing with a teasing grin._

_I took my position once again and loaded an arrow as he stood by me. He did not say a word, but I felt his eyes examining me as I aimed. I took more time to aim this time, only a second or two more, however. Upon releasing the string, the arrow flew through the air and lodged itself securely in the tree, but not far from a miss._

"_Much better, my love," Legolas praised me and continued to speak, though a noise drowned out his beautiful voice. _

_It was an unpleasant noise, shouting and screaming of a man and woman- familiar voices. I felt myself begin to leave the meadow, my Prince faded from my sight and the incessant sound of the heart monitor returned._


	3. Chapter 3 - You Make Me Sick

**Chapter 3**

You Make Me Sick

"It's your fault she's in this hospital!" I heard my mother's voice argue angrily at my father.

"Why the Hell is it my fault? I'm the only one who pays attention to her!" He shouted back and I felt the urge and ache in my heart to go back to my peaceful world with Legolas. I didn't want to open my eyes; I didn't want them to know I was awake so they could pretend to care.

"Oh really? You didn't pay attention to the cuts on her wrists!" My mom screamed back and I cringed at her words. I prayed in vain that their argument would be heard and they would be escorted out the hospital by a doctor or a nurse. _I want to go back to Legolas. I want to go back to my Prince. _My thoughts screamed and as the shouting continued and worsened I felt the unstoppable urge to cry.

_Do not cry, my love. _I tried to echo Legolas' voice in my head, but it didn't work. A single tear rolled down my cheek, so I opened my eyes and looked quickly for the button to call a nurse. I found it in a few seconds and pressed it a few times.

"Olivia! You're awake! How are you feeling, my love?" My mother noticed me and rushed to my side. Her voice seemed kind but still I knew it was laced with poison and hatred.

"Don't call me that." I spat weakly as I cringed at the nickname she used. That's what Legolas called me and I did not want it tainted with my mother's foul speech. To my relief a nurse came into my room just as my mother tried to stroke my hair.

"Get them out, please." I looked at her and pretended as if they weren't here. My mother's face showed horror and then anger as her and my father were escorted out my room.

After a minute the nurse came back into my room, a sorrowful look on her face.

"Is there anything I can get you?" She asked kindly as she stood by my bed, her sorrow turned to a genuine smile.

"Is there any way you could turn off the heart monitor? It makes a lot of noise." I enquired hopefully. She nodded and walked around to the other side of my bed, fiddling with the machine until the beeping sound made less of a noise.

"Sorry, I can't turn it off completely, but that should help." She said and I smiled gratefully.

"Thank you." I said and closed my eyes slowly, hoping to return to my Prince again. I heard her footsteps move around and eventually fade, with the click of the door being closed. No sleep comes to me, only memories of my past. My gruesome past that I wish I could erase, and I have tried but nothing would prevent my mother from making me relive it.

Ever since the age of 10, I've been in a very dark place in my mind, bullied at school and unable to find peace at home with my parent's constant conflict. No one cared for me, they were too wrapped up in themselves to noticed the days I'd come home crying. My mother only made it worse by reinforcing what the bullies had said.

She was just a purely horrible person; my dad was consumed by alcoholism since I've been able to walk. They never split because they wouldn't be able to care for me on their own. I hated my world and so I immersed myself in another world: a mystical world much like the one Legolas is in. Though it did not help much, my current position would be proof of that.

With all of the memories coming back to me, my emotions were overwhelmed and I burst into uncontrollable tears. I wanted to go back to Legolas, before these old memories tore me apart as they once did. My eyes remained closed but the tears did not cease and I could not find the calm peace of mind to sleep quickly. Eventually however, I was able to calm myself, replaying my last dream in my mind as best I could. It took a while for sleep to take me into the world I wished I could remain in for eternity.


	4. Chapter 4 - Taking Over Me

**Chapter 4**

Taking Over Me

_I stood at my dressing table, peering into the mirror, looking over my appearance again and again. My hair was in an elegant little bun, but still went beyond my shoulders. A beautiful silver tiara lay on my head, it fitted perfectly. There was a smile upon my flawless face; my brown eyes seemed to sparkle with the light that shone through the bedroom windows. _

_I wore a dress that I would wear for the Festival of Light, in a week. As Princess, all eyes would be on me, seeing as there was no Queen of Mirkwood, and I was somewhat terrified to be continuously looked upon by an entire kingdom. It had happened to me before, at Legolas and I's wedding: all eyes were on us, gazing upon the new Princess of their kingdom- one day their Queen- judging my dress, and staring in awe. _

"_You look beautiful," My train of thought was broken by a familiar voice and I focused back onto the reflection in the mirror. Legolas stood behind me, he had just come back from a meeting with his father. He smiled gently before stepping forward and snaking his arms around my waist._

"_Thank you, my Prince." I replied as he kissed my cheek. His eyes focused on the mirror. _

_My dress was baby pink and flowed to the floor, with a small train. The material was soft and it fitted me tightly- but comfortably- around my waist and chest. My arms were bare except the sleeves that gave the top a straight, strapless appearance. Lacing up the front that started wide at the top and became of smaller width until the end of my ribs. I wore a layer under the dress as not to expose too much of my chest._

"_You know we will have to dance." He said focusing his attention back on me._

"_I don't know how to dance." I admitted sheepishly, looking down at the marble floor. I let out a small gasp when unexpectedly he took my hands and turned me around, pulling me back into his arms._

"_The Princess doesn't know how to dance? How could that be?" He asked mockingly. I giggled and brought my face closer to his, so that our foreheads touched._

"_How could she?" I replied wrapping my arms around his neck. "Her Prince never taught her how." I argued with a smile before I leant in to kiss him. His lips were soft and moulded with mine perfectly. His hands left mine and wrapped themselves tightly around my torso, pulling me once again closer to him. _

_My emotions told me we wouldn't be dancing anytime soon, and I was correct. His hands went up my sides and he began to pull on the lace on the front of my dress. Our kiss became more heated and I felt my heartbeat start to quicken as I reached for the lacing on the front of his shirt that was covered by a flap of fabric._

"Olivia, wake up. You're going home today." I woke up suddenly, my heart still beating quickly. My mother's face hovered over my bed, beaming down at me.

"Why did you wake me up?" I asked in an irritated tone. Of the three dreams I've had so far, I could tell that was going to be my favourite.

"You don't want to go home?" My mom questioned in a harsh voice. _No. Of course I didn't want to go home. That would mean going back to Hell, and here in this hospital, where I can sleep all day and dream, this is Heaven._

"You could have let me sleep a little bit longer." I said as the nurse came in to take the needle out of my hand. It was the same nurse as before, and she smiled at me again. I made my way into the bathroom with the clothes my mother had brought for me and started getting dressed. I looked up at my appearance in the small mirror above the sink. I wished I could look as flawless as I did in my dreams, but here I am not worthy of a Prince.

My mom had brought me my Black Veil Brides hoodie to cover the bandage, and a white tank top to wear under it. My favourite pair of ripped jeans and knee-high leather boots. In school I was the outcast- the gothic kid who read a lot. I wasn't looking forward to returning to that. Why couldn't I be a Princess?

"Olivia, we have to go!" My mom's voice called from beyond the door. I grabbed the bag she had put the clothes in and left the bathroom.

She was trying hard to be nice to me, that much I could tell. The drive home was pleasant for most part, since she let me play my music. My mom hates my music; she thinks it to be noise and nothing more. However, this time she put on a polite smile as she drove. I noticed her driving was rather fast, and rather reckless in my opinion. It was then that I realised the empty bottle of Jack Daniel's Whiskey beside her. _Oh God, she's driving drunk._

"Mom, please slow down." I begged and tensed up every time she tried to overtake another car. Just then we came to a four way stop, and she completely ignored the red light that commanded her to halt.

"Mom!" I screamed just as our car was flung to the left by another. I felt my head hit the dashboard and my airbag inflated. The car landed in a ditch, windows broken and the bonnet smashed in beyond repair after its impact with the tree.

The door on my side had caved in and pinned me down, and I was unable to feel my legs. I felt dizzy, and warmth came over my bandaged arm. After focusing my vision again, I looked down at my arm and gasped in horror- my stitches had come undone. Blood poured out at an alarming rate and already my clothes were soaked in blood. I had no chance to look over at my mother before a dizzying darkness took me away.


	5. Chapter 5 - Going Under

**Chapter 5**

Going Under

I woke up with a buzzing sound in my head and an unbearable pain in my side. No longer was I in the car, but in Mirkwood. Obviously I had passed out, but still something seemed different about this place. The woods were green, happy, and lush instead of dark and riddled with spider webs. The wild life chirped happily amongst themselves with no worry of the horrid spiders. Weakly, I reached down and touched my ribs where the pain resonated from. My hand became stained red with my own blood.

This was unlike my other dreams- this was more like a nightmare. Where was Legolas? He should be here to save me, but he's not. A sudden dizziness overcame me and my heartbeat started to quicken. The buzzing in my head drowned out all the other sounds of the forest, and as my vision faded a silhouette appeared in front of me. A horse and a rider quickly joined by at least 4 other silhouettes of similar shape. The rider in the front jumped off and stepped towards me cautiously, the light revealed them to be female with red hair.

She was quite beautiful. The Elf was clearly concerned and started talking to me, but I couldn't hear a word over the buzzing. She glanced behind her at another Elf in the group, her mouth moved and he seemed to reply with a shake of his head. Legolas. He did not look at me with the love and affection he once did. His expression was now cold, fierce and he gave me a look of disbelief. Just then a surge of pain hit me and I was dragged into the cold blackness of my mind.

_I was unable to open my eyes, but there was a flurry of noises, which were somewhat drowned out by the still present buzzing in my head. Police sirens, muffled voices, cars and the beeping of a reversing tow truck. A chainsaw roared to life and the sounds of branches snapping and wood hitting metal registered. I could not move, either- not a finger, or a toe. There was a sensation of pain but it seemed numb and distant. No taste, no smell, no touch, and I couldn't open my eyes. _

_There was a sound of metal screeching on metal and then the sound as if a door has been ripped off its hinges. A floating sensation overcame me and I felt weightless but it didn't last long. Wheels could be heard close by and I felt myself moving. Two doors slammed shut and muffled voices ceased, all except two which spoke in turns as if conversational. A car engine roared to life and metal began to rattle beneath me. Was I in an ambulance? The thought crossed my mind before the sounds stopped and the world faded into dizziness and pain once again._

Consciousness found me again in Mirkwood, though now it was now probably called Greenwood due to the lack of spiders and spider webs. I opened my eyes to the sight of the red-haired Elf standing over me. I was lieing in a soft, small bed that appeared to be part of a hospital area.

"Are you okay? What's your name?" The Elf spoke with a beautiful and flowing voice. I paused for a moment- what was my name? I couldn't use my old name, I needed an Elvish name.

Uhh...Nordir."I decided was suitable enough. As she paused in her thought for a moment I took the opportunity to survey the room. She had set her daggers sheathed on the small table beside my bed. The covers were white and thick and the headboard behind my bed was engraved beautifully with elegant patterns. The floors were the cream stone they appeared to be all around the palace. The Palace. I was in The Palace- such as a Princess should be.

This Elf seemed familiar, I realized as I focused back on her. "My name is Tauriel. I'm Captain of the Guard here in Greenwood." She explained. Yes, of course. Tauriel. In my dreams, Legolas was either with me or her and her Guard. I suppose I was once close with her. Now however it seems they all look at me as if I was completely lost and do not belong with them.

"Tauriel." I heard a stern, deep voice say behind her. Tauriel turned and bowed respectfully. A tall Elf with silver-blonde hair wore a silver robe and had a leaf crown upon his head smiled gently back at her. Another Elf stood silently beside him. She had long brown, slightly curled hair and wore a silver-white dress that reminded me of mine from my dream.

"I will be outside if you need me." Tauriel stated before retrieving her daggers and walking quickly by them.

"Tauriel," The tall Elf said, turning his head slightly, "You need not worry for us. Do as you please."

"Thank you, my King." She said with a smile and left the room, turning left down the corridor.

King. This Elf would have been my father in my dreams. I see now where Legolas got his looks from- he was beautiful. Where was Legolas? He was the only one I knew truly of in this place. The two Elves approached me with elegant step. It was clear that beneath his robe he wielded a long sword. Did he think I would attack him? Only natural I suppose when a stranger comes into your home.

"I am King Thranduil. This is Princess Arwen." Princess Arwen. Princess, meaning married to a Prince. The only Prince I knew of in this kingdom was Legolas. Legolas was my Prince, my love.

"I am Nordir. It is of the highest honor to meet you King, and you fair Princess." I had trouble with the last part. She was fair, more so than me, and it was frustrating. A competition for Legolas' heart was bound to occur, and I was not readily equipped for it physically.

What is the chance that this Princess is not of Mirkwood? Perhaps there was another Elven colony, and she was visiting briefly, after all, if this were Princess of Greenwood- Legolas' wife- he would surely be by her side, as he were with me. Or perhaps, it is curiosity that brought her to my bedside, a curiosity that Legolas does not care enough to share. If there were any truth in my theory, then why was I here? Why put me back into a world where I am invisible and worthless?

"You were in a horrible state when the Guard brought you in- how are you feeling now?" King Thranduil stood by my bed, hands held behind his back in a relaxed manner though his eyes gave a sense of alertness. I let my mind go silent and assessed my body. Without a thought running through my mind, nothing was left to drown out the buzzing and the pain that still resonated from my ribcage- though numbed- still caused me distress and discomfort.

"Better, but I am still in much pain." I replied politely reaching my left hand to my left side. They had removed my shirt and bandaged my ribs and chest, before dressing me in a loose, sleeveless gown.

"I will leave you to recover; I believe Arwen has many questions to ask you. We would indeed like to know how you got here." He said before smiling warmly. There was coldness to his eyes, although it was hard to decide if that was a hidden emotion or due to the icy blue color that they were. King Thranduil nodded subtly to Arwen before turning and leaving, bowing his head as he walked.

"Where did you come from, young Elf?" Arwen asked. She spoke as if to a child, although it may be that I am not used to some of the phrases of this world.

I considered what to say to her, knowing I could not lie as I did not know of a place outside Greenwood. I also considered the fact that the truth may be too absurd for her to believe, for all I know this could be a dream world.

"I do not know how I came to be here, Princess. Not exactly." I sat up with difficulty. Movement made my ribs burn red hot with pain.

"Tell me what you do know. I will try my best to help you piece together your memory."


	6. Chapter 6 - Hello

**Chapter 6**

Hello

I decided I would tell Arwen the truth, but made her swear to secrecy. I told her everything- including the dreams. For some reason I felt an immense trust towards this Elf. This intruder. Truth be told, it wasn't actually her fault. It was an arranged marriage and she felt love for another. Someone far away, and mortal- but she longed to be with him. Legolas felt no affection towards her either- other than in a friendly sense. They were best friends more than anything else. Arwen suggested perhaps Legolas and I had a connection- as he had become completely distracted and distant from the time they had found me. Had he had dreams too? I felt my heart ache, I longed more than anything else to talk to him.

"He's gone hunting. It helps him regain his concentration. He has too in order to fight." Arwen was telling me. A sick feeling rose in my stomach, if I really did affect him so badly, could it be enough to get him hurt?

"We have to find him," I said and sat up, trying my best to ignore the jolt of pain in my side.

"You must rest now, Nordir. Legolas will be safe." Arwen reasoned and tried to get me to lie down again.

"I cannot rest knowing he might be in danger." I said and she frowned before reluctantly helping me up.

"I can send Tauriel and her Guard out to find him. You must not worry your mind over him, he is a warrior." She said, beginning to panic. There was an uneasy ache in my heart. If he and I had a connection as Arwen said we do, then my worry may be for a good cause.

"Princess, if you truly care about him, then you will let me do this." I paused and our gaze met for a moment. Arwen nodded.

"I will get you some more suitable clothes." She stated and left me to my own devices. It felt like a long while before she returned carrying a pile of neatly folded clothes- pants and a shirt with riding boots. Not a dress, to my luck. She left me to get dressed and as I did my head started to spin with the thought of confronting him. What would he say? Would he even speak? There were so many things I could say to him, but it would most likely fall so far out of line. What if he didn't love me back and Arwen's proposal was pure foolishness. She did not look the type to speak nonsense.

"How do I know where he will be?" I asked her when I stepped into the corridor. I stood up straight and tried to hide the fact that the shirt pressed on my wound.

"Tauriel will escort you; she knows the hunting route as well as he does." Arwen said just as Tauriel appeared at her side. She had 7 other Elves behind her dressed in uniform attire. Tauriel looked me up and down; her face showed no emotion but her eyes had a spark of light in them.

After a brief farewell to Princess Arwen, Tauriel led me down to the stables where my fear of horses came rushing back to me. She expected me to ride one alone- of course she did.

"I can't ride a horse." I said sheepishly as Tauriel was about to get on her horse. The rest of her Guard were already on their horses. She paused for a moment before stepping away from her horse.

"Very well then," She began with a sigh before gesturing to the mounted Elves. Almost simultaneously they jumped off their horses. "We will walk. But we will walk fast. Legolas took his horse." She said and looked at me grimly. Tauriel was probably very sweet, but the impression she was giving me made me flinch. She seemed grim and hateful.

We walked quickly and in silence. Not a word was spoken between all of us, except the occasional command that Tauriel gave the others. I walked closely next to her and as we continued to walk, she seemed to grow less hostile. Her serious expression softened and she seemed to wonder into her thoughts every so often, but would be snapped back to reality by so much as the snap of a twig.

"Do you and Legolas know each other?" She asked and her question caught me off guard. If I said no, then she would wonder why I came out to look for him and I suspected she noticed the change in his behaviour the day they found me. If I said yes, then what would I say?

"It's complicated." I said and hoped she would leave it at that. Luckily she did. We walked for a few more minutes before we came to a small gap in the trees. A familiar horse stood tied to a pole in the ground.

"He shouldn't be far. You can handle yourself from here, I'm sure. The area around this place is free of danger." Tauriel said to me. I didn't know if I was happy that she was leaving me, or scared to be alone in these woods. Scared to be alone with Legolas.

"Thank you, Tauriel." I said gratefully. She smiled at me before turning around and leaving with her Guard. I let out a breath of relief when she was out of my sight. My heart suddenly started to pound in my chest- he could appear at any minute. I felt weak all of a sudden and sat down on a nearby rock. I realised there was a small fire place- the branches still glowed red hot. It was something to do whilst I waited. I stood up and surveyed the area, my eyes landed on a pile of dead foliage. The woods around me seemed all too quiet, but I trusted Tauriel when she said it was safe. Calmly I made my way over to collect the leaves, before returning and placing them on the glowing branches. The leaves caught fairly quickly and I sat back down on the rock. With the fire giving off light, I realised the natural light of the sun was fading. I did not know what time we left the Palace, or how long exactly it took to get here, but the sun seemed to be setting now. Part of me hoped Legolas did not come back to camp, but the other part yearned to see him, to speak to him, to be near him again. Either way I did not want to be here alone all night.

It felt like hours had past. The sun had set and the night was at its darkest, yet still I could not sleep. I heard footsteps behind me, barely audible. I stood up and turned around in one motion, and to my relief- and dread- it was just Legolas. My lip quivered as I tried to bottle up all the things I wanted to say. It would be utterly stupid to blurt out whatever came to mind first. We both stood in silent and stared at each other. He gave me a cold look, but behind that I could see confusion.

"Who are you?" He asked and I could see his hand was ready to retrieve an arrow from his quiver. Was this how he dealt with unusual situations normally? I took a careful step towards him, but he remained the same. He watched me carefully, as if I was going to attack him.

"You tell me." I said. I knew he was playing dumb- I would have done just the same.

"Olivia." He said. He spoke my name differently- there was softness to his voice.

"Legolas." I said with a warm smile. He looked like a frightened puppy that would bolt if I took another step.

"How did you get into this world? You were nothing but a dream." He said and let his confusion shine through for a moment before he put his mask back on.

"This world was a dream. You were…" I stopped talking for a moment. I felt a sharp pain surge though my ribs, but managed to fight it back without alarm. "You were a dream." I said and shifted my weight onto my right leg.

"You're injured." He pointed out and his eyes flickered to my ribs before they locked back on my eyes.

"I'm fine." I replied. The same two words I had used in my other life when people asked me how I was feeling and I didn't want to burden them with my problems. Now I used it on him. This should've been a chance to start over again, but I found myself telling the same typical lies. He looked as if he wanted to take a step towards me and help me. I noticed the grip on his bow soften now- I was like a wounded animal, it wouldn't take much to kill me if I posed a threat. There was a moment of silence before he walked past me and took a seat by the fire.

"Why are you here?" He asked finally when I had sat opposite him. I paused for a moment and thought about what I should say.

"I don't know where else to go but to you." I said truthfully, nothing else really seemed believable. We sat in silence and I watched him as he stared into the flames of the fire. He was so beautiful. The flames flickered in his blue eyes, and his blonde hair caught the light of the flames and turned golden. He looked peaceful but deep in thought, and I wished I knew what he was thinking. Did he hate me for catching him so off guard? I longed for me to wake up and escape this nightmare.

"Did you have dreams too?" He asked suddenly. My heart stopped. Did he have the same dreams as me? How would that be possible? I considered how I was here and the fact that perhaps we did have a connection- after all how could I feel such an attraction to him? Even though he was trying his best to hide it, I knew he shared a similar feeling.

"Yes." I replied blankly and I sunk into my memory of the dreams. It was as if all of a sudden I could feel his arms around me and goose bumps ran up my arm. The goose bumps were not from the memories though, I realized the night had grown cold and I only had one layer on.

"You're cold." Legolas pointed out as the cold seemed to seep deeper into my body. I nodded and wrapped my arms around myself, just as he stood up and retrieved a blanket from one of the saddlebags on his horse. He tossed me the blanket and it landed at my feet. Quickly I wrapped it around myself, snuggling into the surprising softness of it. For a second I thought I caught him smile. "I've been sleeping out here since you arrived three days ago." He said and our eyes locked for a moment. I've been out for three days? It barely felt like a few hours to me.

"Why?" I asked astonished. If he didn't want to see me, it would be easy enough to avoid me- the Palace seemed like a large place. For him to camp somewhere deep in the woods seemed rather extreme.

"Because I don't understand you. Why you're here or how you got here. None of it." He said and stared thoughtfully into the fire.

I was quickly becoming frustrated. If he had come into my world I would have been over the moon to have someone who might have cared about me. Now I'm in his world and it seems like he doesn't want me here- but I know he does. All I had to do was get him to admit it. I let out a disappointed sigh and stood up.

"Well I guess you don't want me here then. I'm sure I can find my way home safely." I said and started to turn towards the path.

"No-" He started and with my back towards him I smiled slightly, "It's not safe this time of night. We can go back tomorrow." My heart ached at the word _we._ I sighed again- I was pretty good at this acting thing. Of course I was; I spent the last 5 years of my life lieing to everyone about everything.

"Do you even care?" A lump formed in my throat and tears welled in my eyes at the familiar phrase. "Wouldn't it be so much easier for you if I got myself killed?" I said as tears rolled down my cheeks.

"Of course I care. That's the problem. I'm _married_, Olivia." He said, sounding slightly frustrated. I know that all this time he's been trying so hard to keep his cool, and finally I'm breaking it.

"But you don't love her."

"How do you know that?" He said and his tone changed completely. It took a curious tone now, and he creased his eyebrows.

"I've met her, Legolas. I told her everything."

"Why did you do that?" His confused tone dropped and the frustration returned to his expression.

"Because I didn't know what else to do." I said and took a step towards him. I felt horrible all of a sudden and I wished more than anything else that he would just wrap his arms around me and forget everything else. "You were all I knew of this place, and you were avoiding me." The moment I finished my sentence I was hit by a surge of dizziness and pain. I fell to the ground and hit my head hard on the ground.

"Olivia? Olivia!" I heard him shout but the world faded and I wondered if it was finally time to wake up from this nightmare.


End file.
